Hi Jenny, Traditional wisdom is that nettles are an herb of spring, meaning that the new growth is what is used. Older growth will contain cystoliths that are not friendly to kidneys and bladder. I seem to remember that this thread contained a comment from someone who tried to overwinter nettles indoors. Instead my recommendation would be to put the plant outdoors, in a moist, shady place with rich soil, a nook in shade garden or woodlands where the nettles can grow, be available for herbal use but not be a nuisance (like by stinging someone unexpectedly). Watch the spot in the spring and when the new growth reaches 6 inches or so, cut it back to the crown and use that herb for drying to make tea or tincture. When the plant sends up more new growth, you can harvest that, too. If the plant gets up knee high or so, then you can cut it back, mulch the crown with the stems and leaves, and wait for young, tender growth to push up through, and again harvest that for herbal use if you want, even if the season is fall. In other words, just use the new growth, whether from first show in the spring or from regrowth after cutting back or if the plant has naturally fallen over and created new growth from the base. Hope that makes sense. To give back to the nettles, and make sure it doesn’t go away from all that cutting, fertilize with composted chicken manure and water well with well water or, well, any water including wild water that wells up or falls from the sky or water from a wishing well. I wish you well. Richo
